The layout of this abandoned warehouse was still quite good; aside from the main entrance, there were also side doors and other pathways like ventilation ducts on the roof.
It was clear the main entrance was no longer viable, and human players began to search for other ways to enter the warehouse.
Most players, under the guidance of Instructor Ding, headed toward the side door, while a small group tried to reach the warehouse roof by climbing ladders or jumping and then enter through the ventilation ducts and skylights.
Although it was called a side door, this area was actually wider than the main entrance.
That's because the original side door seemed to have been torn open by some tremendous force, turning it into an enormous crater.
While there were some remnants of vehicles that could be used as cover around the main entrance, the side door area was empty, with only vast craters that stretched from the small square outside the side door into the interior of the warehouse.
Even though Instructor Ding couldn't guess how these craters were made, he suddenly had a good idea.
"Brothers, don't rush in," he said, "listen to me!
"Do you see these craters? Let's not bunch up too much. Form small teams of a few people each and advance slowly from the craters! These craters are very deep and can serve as perfect trenches or cover!"
Upon saying this, everyone turned their gaze to the various-sized craters on the ground.
This was indeed a great strategy!
Hiding in a crater and crouching or lying down provided excellent concealment.
If there was also a demon with a Hellfire Gatling at the side door, the players could lie in the craters and fight back, as if they were in trenches.
Compared to the main entrance, this obviously increased their chances of winning.
Could this be the correct solution to this map? Truly worthy of a former professional player, Instructor Ding had a sharp mind!
The human players quickly followed Instructor Ding's instructions, entering the craters and moving forward while crouching or squatting.
After emerging from one crater, they dashed and rolled quickly into the next, making steady progress toward the interior of the warehouse.
Compared to entering over the flat ground, the safety factor had significantly increased.
Instructor Ding couldn't help feeling a bit proud: Indeed, I am worthy!
Soon, Instructor Ding led the vanguard into the warehouse, still agile enough to roll into the nearest crater and immediately get down, cautiously moving the mouse to search for the demon enemy at the warehouse's side door.
Indeed, there was a demon here!
Compared to the previous demon with the Hellfire Gatling, it looked even larger and more imposing, although slightly more cumbersome. Regardless, the player had likely chosen one of the top-tier demon bodies and weapons.
But the problem was... where was its weapon?
Wait, could that massive object next to it be its weapon?!
Instructor Ding first looked at the demon's two front claws, seeing that they were empty, seemingly holding nothing. But the next second, he noticed the demon's claws move, picking up a shell and loading it into the massive object beside it.
What was this massive thing?
It seemed... to be a double-barrel cannon!
It had a huge base, adorned with black and red hellish decorations; the front of the cannon was covered with thick armor and fierce spikes, like the sharp fangs of a Hell Demon.
The next second, one of the cannon barrels let out a muffled boom, accompanied by dazzling light, as a shell flew straight toward Instructor Ding's location!
"Boom!!"
In the moment of death, Instructor Ding's perspective shifted from first-person to third-person, allowing him to clearly see the scene of his own demise.
The instant the shell exploded, countless shrapnel flew in all directions, and players like Instructor Ding who were in the kill radius were almost instantly annihilated.
Those hiding in other craters thought they had narrowly escaped, but the next second, they too were sent back to the respawn point.
Clearly, they were shaken to death by the explosion.
And after the smoke had cleared away, a new crater was added where the shell had landed.
Now, Instructor Ding somewhat understood how the vast hole at the side entrance and the craters scattered across the ground had formed.
And his previous tactic of "taking cover in the craters" seemed utterly ridiculous.
Had they been bravely outsmarting thin air all along?
If the Hellfire Gatling had brought Instructor Ding's sarcasm to a peak, the Apocalypse Cannon now had extinguished it completely.
He didn't know what to say anymore!
In a battle where a vast majority of players could only wield conventional firearms like assault rifles and sniper rifles, how is it reasonable or scientific to introduce a powerful cannon that could alter the terrain?
I must have crossed into another world!
Upon seeing the earlier Gatling, Instructor Ding still harbored the illusion that he might struggle through.
But now, he faintly understood that in the design of this game, there was never an option for "humans to win"...
And just as Instructor Ding was dazed on the spot, a new situation emerged.
Several grenades flew out from a corner of the rooftop and landed right at everyone's feet.
Instructor Ding couldn't help but be shocked—damn it! He had just revived, and now he was going to die again!
But the moment these grenades exploded, the surrounding human players didn't receive any damage; instead, something even more terrifying happened.
The grenades emitted a large amount of yellow smoke, enveloping them.
The next second, players began to cough violently!
Instructor Ding could see his health value continuously dropping; he ran out of the smoke's range, but the situation still didn't improve in the slightest.
He had contracted the plague!
Not only did the plague reduce his health value constantly, but his movement speed also became increasingly slow, and when he aimed his gun, the crosshairs started trembling uncontrollably.
Clearly, there was still a demon on the rooftop.
Soon, Instructor Ding, with frustration and unwillingness, was sent back to the respawn point by the plague once again.
...
[Negative emotions from Ding Qiang +15!]
[Negative emotions from Ding Qiang +8!]
At this time, in Gu Fan's view, negative emotions from Ding Qiang kept drifting by.
Although other players' negative emotions no longer showed names, their values and frequency suggested they were rapidly increasing.
However, among these prompts, there were some exceptions.
[Negative emotions from Tu Lei -72!]
[Negative emotions from Zhang Yiliang -22!]
[Negative emotions from Fu Bocheng -45!]
Clearly, they were the three players acting as demons.
Apart from these three, there were other similar situations, likely those playing demons in other matches.
Clearly, playing as a demon did not generate negative emotions; in this game, they could only experience the joy of "bullying others."
Gu Fan noticed that when players felt joy in the game, demons did not receive positive emotions but instead had negative emotions deducted.
In other words, the more joy players felt, the more demons lost out.
No wonder Lilith's design scheme was so extreme, using every conceivable means.
In online mode, although she couldn't enhance AI, she could still generate more negative emotions through this completely imbalanced gameplay.
Gu Fan took out his phone to look at player reviews and feedback for the game.
By now, "Infernal Trajectory" had been rated on various gaming platforms, mostly hovering between "mostly negative" and "overwhelmingly negative."
Of course, there were a few small gaming platforms that had engaged in some under-the-table operations due to promotional funding, forcibly locking "Infernal Trajectory's" rating at "mixed," but clearly, this could not change the general opinion.
In the game's comment section and many gaming websites, angry players had also started to vehemently criticize the game.
"What the hell is this 'Infernal Trajectory'? Was the designer drunk? Did they balance the stats with their feet?"
"The power difference between demons and humans is not equal at all, how is this playable!"
"I've played games for so long, but it's the first time I'm stuck on the first level..."
"Online mode is a pile of crap, too. Can't human players fight human players, and demons fight demons? Now it's become a one-sided slaughter of humans by demons!"
"So we're all just punching bags in this game now..."
"I think it's okay, it's quite fun playing as a demon."
"Bullshit! Can you even get to play as a demon now? There are 53 players in a room, and only 3 are demons!"
"Everyone wants to be a demon, but if no one wants to be a human, won't the online mode soon become unplayable?"
"I suggest the game's designer immediately seek treatment at a mental hospital!"
"Send them to a mental hospital? Send them straight to Hell!"
"The game's planners really ought to bow down to the artists, with such great graphics—like a royal flush at the start of a game—but they managed to play the hand so terribly!"
"All I can say is, they're truly talented at ruining their own livelihoods, you can't deny that!"